DEER ABOUT TO FEED ALONGSIDE HIGHWAY 107, SOUTH OF TOMAHAWK. THIS IS POPULAR DEER HUNTING COUNTRY – NARA – 550802 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is deer season and they’re out, especially the males since they are aggressively seeking mates.

What does that mean for us? We need to be careful driving. Deer can cause serious accidents and motorists as well as their passengers have been killed because of deer suddenly veering out into highways and streets.

And it can happen anywhere, not just the rural areas. A little girl was killed within Nashville city limits a few years ago when a deer collided with her family’s car.

Another note is it is often hard to see them even in the daylight. They blend well with their surroundings.

However, for all the danger they cause, deer are still amongst some of the most beautiful creatures in my opinion. Last October, I saw a group of about six or seven of them beside a country road in Hickman County, Tennessee. I was driving down there to visit friends at their vacation home.

I had the satellite radio blaring the Louis Armstrong version of “I’m on my way to a heavenly land,” one of the lyrics from the exquisite opera, Porgy and Bess. It was high noon and a gentle breeze was whistling through the golden trees. Just as I thought it couldn’t get any more beautiful, I turned into a dirt road and then I saw them.

They were simply standing beside the road at the edge of the glistening woods and I had to stop the car. I just needed to look at them for a few minutes because they are so breathtaking. Could this be a preview of heaven?

English: A white-tailed deer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We can take the time to savor them but we still need to remember we’re probably trespassing in their habitats. Or at least that’s probably their opinions. They don’t know gates, walls and fences say otherwise and they don’t care.

We need to keep our eyes peeled at least for the next month or so. That will keep us safer and who knows, we may get the chance to see one of the Lord’s most beautiful creatures up close.

By now, a lot of us have heard 77 year-old Lynn Bedford’s story about being pulled over for a speeding violation.

The vid from CNN has been circulating the Internet and it seems almost everyone has an opinion about how Ms. Bedford was treated or mistreated by the policeman in Keene, Texas.

She was clocked going about 15 miles over the speed limit and he pulled her over for that. Normally, she would have received a ticket and that would have been the end of it, but it wasn’t.

Frankly, I think she could have chosen her words a little more carefully with the policeman. Yes, she had a bladder problem which is common with many elderly people. That was probably the reason she was speeding in the first place.

However, if she hadn’t argued with him, the stop would have ended much sooner and very differently.

One piece of advice for all of us is to show respect and to be courteous to a policeman. If you are nice to him, most likely he will return your good will and manners. If you want to argue your case take it before a judge latter in traffic court.

In summary, keep your mouth shut, even when he asks for proof you actually own the car, as one policeman asked me during a recent traffic stop in Nashville.

On the other hand…

How does the vid of a policeman pulling a 77 year-old lady out of her car really look as far as public relations? Not good, I’ll venture out to say. It is very painful for me to watch. I don’t like seeing our seniors treated in such a manner. It is very disturbing to me.

Electric cars are being proclaimed as our answer for dwindling energy supplies. We’re supposed to embrace them now even though the technology is not quite here yet.

We know consumers are not beating down the doors to buy them because of the non- sales. The latest victim is the Chevy Volt which according to Reuters, is losing around $49,000 per car.

Why? Why don’t consumers jump at the chance to save loads of money at the pump?

I think I have the answer from a care giver’s point of view. We can’t totally depend upon them.

Your car is one of your lifelines when you caregive. You need a car that can take you to the emergency room, doctor’s appointments, and anything else your aging parents will need. So what happens when the electricity goes out? How can you “refill” an electric car you have to plug up for hours? Continue reading “Electric Cars:Can Care Givers Depend Upon Them?”

Elderly abuse is getting worse and informing caregivers for our seniors is one of our top priorities for this website. We are passionate about protecting our seniors physically, emotionally and financially. It is the financial elder abuse which particularly gets us riled up since this is usually an inside crime that often goes unreported.

Just this week, a Nashville grandmother had money and her car stolen by her grandson. He had scammed her into giving him her car title. Then the grandson sold her car for $30. Luckily, he was caught and she got her car back, but she has lost more than possessions. She has lost trust.

How can we protect our elderly from financial abuse?

Here are 3 tips.

1. Select an advocate who can help keep an eye on your senior’s finances

That could be you, a trusted member of your family, a lawyer, or someone at your church. But it is important to get another person involved who can be an extra advocate for you aging parent.

You can tell other family members this person will be reviewing the checking accounts, credit card accounts and savings on a regular basis. If a question arises about an unusual need for money from another family member, your parent is to contact the advocate first or you. No major decisions about money will be made without your knowledge or the advocate’s.

2. Make a Rule Your Parent Is Not to Buy Anything Over the Phone

It’s okay for your parent to order things, but your mom or dad should be initiating the call first. They should never give to any organization which calls them out of the blue. This may sound harsh, but it is a rule which can prevent a lot of heartache and problems.

I know of a senior who gave to a political campaign just because the caller was nice and talked to him. He was lonely, and ended up sending them more money than he could afford. His daughter hit the ceiling once she found out even though she supports their politics.

This rule not only applies to politics, but also to charities and anybody else who calls your parents first. Inform your parent that any contributions they give in the future must go through you or your advocate. That takes a lot of pressure off of your parent and it sends a clear message that someone is behind your parent who is on top of things.

3. Take Care of Family Problems Before They Get Out of Hand

This is a tough subject to talk about. Sometimes there are some family members who don’t have your parent’s best interest in mind. We all know where I’m going with this. The case of the grandson in Nashville is only one example.

One of our jobs as caregivers is to notice any problems involving our parents before they get out of hand. Obviously, if the grandson sells the car for $30 he needs cash fast and that could indicate drugs are involved. You don’t need family members like that around your helpless aging parents. You wouldn’t leave your grandchild alone with someone like that, so you certainly shouldn’t allow them to dominate your mom or dad.

Again, get outside help if you need to, but get it done.

Here is a video by Cindy Laverty in which she tells of a scam that almost trapped her aging mother. It all started with a phone call from a man claiming to be Cindy’s nephew. Naturally, her mother was concerned about her grandson being in trouble because the young man said he had been in a bad accident and was being threatened with jail. He needed money fast.

Then another man got on the phone explaining everything for a second time, just in case Cindy’s Mom didn’t quite understand it all. Could Cindy’s Mom please send money immediately through Western Union?

Frankly, I didn’t know people still sent money by Western Union nowadays, but maybe that is just me.

When Cindy got on the phone the man became angry. Cindy knew it was a scam but her mother still wasn’t sure. She wanted to do the right thing for her grandson.

This is the scary part. The men had all of Cindy’s mom’s information. They knew a lot about her. However, there was one hitch. They hadn’t counted on Cindy being there.

Put your parents on alert. If anything does not sound right, or out of the ordinary, tell them to inform the caller they will be calling the police.

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